One exceptional feature of mobile units (cell phones, for example) is the ability to place and receive calls from diverse geographic locations. The ability of mobile units to roam across multiple coverage areas enables them to be used nearly ubiquitously. Mobile units involved in active calls or other services typically hand off from a current base station to a new base station as the mobile unit moves from the coverage area (i.e., the cell or sector) of the first base station to the coverage area of the new base station.
However, mobile units may also move across coverage areas without handing off or registering in the new cell/sector. When the network needs to locate the mobile unit, such as when someone is trying to call the unit, the network will page the mobile. Many techniques for where and how to page a mobile unit are known. However, since paging mobile units often requires a substantial portion of a network's limited signaling resources, new techniques that can improving paging efficiency are desirable, even if only applicable in certain situations.
Specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed below with reference to FIGS. 1-5. Both the description and the illustrations have been drafted with the intent to enhance understanding. For example, the dimensions of some of the figure elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements, and well-known elements that are beneficial or even necessary to a commercially successful implementation may not be depicted so that a less obstructed and a more clear presentation of embodiments may be achieved. In addition, although the logic flow diagrams above are described and shown with reference to specific steps performed in a specific order, some of these steps may be omitted or some of these steps may be combined, sub-divided, or reordered without departing from the scope of the claims. Thus, unless specifically indicated, the order and grouping of steps is not a limitation of other embodiments that may lie within the scope of the claims.
Simplicity and clarity in both illustration and description are sought to effectively enable a person of skill in the art to make, use, and best practice the present invention in view of what is already known in the art. One of skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific embodiments described below without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative and exemplary rather than restrictive or all-encompassing, and all such modifications to the specific embodiments described below are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.